Durbin And Schakowsky Urge Residents To Get Covered Before ACA Enrollment Deadline On December 15th

CHICAGO – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky today urged those who need health insurance for 2020 to sign up for a health plan before the December 15th deadline. Approximately 312,000 people in Illinois purchase their health insurance in the individual market and seven out of ten of them are eligible for tax credits that help keep their monthly premiums below $100 a month. People in Illinois can call (Get Covered Illinois: 866-311-1119), go online (www.Healthcare.gov), or get in-person help to sign up for health insurance that will cover them next year.

“The Affordable Care Act has brought health insurance to more than one million Illinoisans, provided protections for people with pre-existing conditions, and ended insurance discrimination based on medical history, gender, and age. I want to make it clear that health insurance on the individual market is open for business and the deadline to enroll is just over two weeks away,” Durbin said. “I will fight to protect these gains and continue to support patients in need and the providers that serve them.”

“The Affordable Care Act is alive and well! From now until December 15, you have the opportunity to enroll in a new plan or change your health care coverage,” said Congresswoman Schakowsky. “Visit HealthCare.Gov to review your coverage options for yourself and your family in order to find a comprehensive, affordable plan that covers pre-existing conditions and offers essential health benefits. And make sure you visit GetCovered.Illinois.Gov to find out about financial help to reduce the cost of coverage and finding a plan that fits your budget before enrolling through HealthCare.Gov.”

More than 20 million uninsured Americans have gained health coverage under the ACA – including one million in Illinois – bringing our nation’s uninsured rate below 10 percent for the first time in history. Thanks to the ACA, insurers can no longer deny coverage due to a pre-existing condition, discriminate based on gender or health status, or impose annual or lifetime caps on benefits. Insurers must now cover important health care: maternity and newborn care, mental health and substance abuse treatment, and hospitalizations. The ACA also expanded Medicaid to cover millions of newly eligible Americans—650,000 in Illinois—and provided enhanced federal funds to help pay for the expansion population.